Brisbane Powerhouse and Brisbane Festival 2009 in association with Strut and Fret present, There, winner of the Award for Best Performance (Adelaide Fringe Touring), Melbourne Fringe Festival 2008.
A good story cannot be translated to the stage without actors who can meaningfully connect with each other. But this, in itself, is not enough. A good story cannot be a success on stage without its audience. “There” is a place which exists in performance where actors expose their inner fears to connect with each other and their audience. The theatrical piece is an exploration of the creative process itself.
The first part of the piece consists of two actors performing hand puppetry - their hands are illuminated in darkness by hand held torches. The hands represent two actors attempting to connect with each other. There are moments of shared terror for the hands but for the most part, their connection is superficial and without meaning. In the second part of the piece, the two actors descend into the audience with their torches illuminating the faces of individual patrons and vocalising their inner voices. There are those who merely want to be entertained and feel more comfortable with the on stage action being about anyone else but themselves. And yet, there are those who are searching for a more personal experience. In the third and fourth parts of the piece, the actors attempt to combine these two elements. The third piece consists of a staged improvised scene where the actors commit on stage faux pas which prevent them from connecting with each other or the audience. In the fourth part of the piece, the actors make a connection with each other and begin to engage the audience. In the fifth and final part of the piece, the actors achieve their objective. Returning to hand puppetry, the actor's hands are once again illuminated in darkness by hand held torches. The two hands are in symmetry with each other and the audience. There are some delightful moments of humour, tension, and anguish in this creative work which is enhanced by the considerable acting talents of Emily Tomlins and Angus Grant. However, I suspect references to acting terminology such as “given circumstances” and the common faux paus committed by the actors in the staged improvised scenes may be lost in translation for those who do not have a theatre background. This may account for responses to the piece that vary from self-indulgent to extraordinarily creative and humorous. Several in the audience may have left the theatre thinking, "What was that all about?"
The script has clearly evolved through a process of workshopping improvised scenes. After a period of performance, there are two possible directions that such a work can take – either it can become a more staged piece which requires further script development or it needs to be refreshed by the injection of true improvisation so that the raw energy of the improvised scenes is not lost. Both options present risks and challenges for the actors and for those involved in the staging and production of this theatrical piece. But perhaps this is an inevitable consequence of such a work.
The Visy Theatre affords an intimate space for this piece which runs for about 45 minutes and is essentially about connection. There is showing at the Brisbane Powerhouse until 19 September 2009.
Image Provided Courtesy of Brisbane Festival 2009.
Image Provided Courtesy of Brisbane Festival 2009.
